THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR BODY WHEN YOU EAT SUGAR

Uh-oh. That treat comes with some not-so-sweet side effects.

We all know to go easy on the sweet stuff, but what actually happens to your system when you indulge? Here, eight ways sugar affects your body. 

YOUR BRAIN SUFFERS

Fructose—the sugar that naturally occurs in fruit and is a component, with glucose, of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and table sugar—lights up the brain's reward center, says pediatric endocrinologist Robert Lustig, MD, of UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in San Francisco. But over time, a diet packed with fructose (especially from HFCS) can make it tougher to learn and remember, animal research suggests. To stay in peak mental shape, try sticking with savory snacks.

YOU WANT TO EAT MORE

By revving the brain's reward and appetite center, fructose can interfere with feelings of satiety, research reveals. Translation: That extra cookie may not curb your craving after all.

SKIN AGES FASTER

Too much sugar can hinder the repair of collagen, the buzzed-about protein that keeps skin looking plump, studies show. A steady diet of sugary treats can result in reduced elasticity and premature wrinkles. Indulge your sweet tooth with fruit instead. Experts say it's A-OK to eat two to four servings of the natural sugar source each day.

EXCESS SUGAR IS STORED AS FAT

Pause before you slip that additional packet into your a.m. coffee. The liver has an innate capacity to metabolize sugar and use it for energy—but only to an extent, explains Dr. Lustig. The fructose that's left over is converted into fat in the liver, raising your risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

YOUR CELLS PAY A STEEP PRICE

Fructose accelerates the usual oxidation process in our cells, says Dr. Lustig. The result? Proteins, tissues, and organs can become damaged, and our risk of health conditions, including liver disease, kidney failure, and cataracts, rises.

YOU GET HOOKED

Eating sugar leads to the release of dopamine, the neurotransmitter that makes us like something and want more of it. "As dopamine receptor neurons get overstimulated, the number of receptors to bind to decreases, so you'll need a bigger hit of dopamine to get the same rush," explains Dr. Lustig.

STRESS EATING BEGETS STRESS

Sweets can lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the near term, research shows. But continue OD'ing on sugary refined carbs and your risk of insulin resistance, which stresses the body from the inside, goes up. To find your calm, sweat instead: "Exercise is the best treatment for stress. It makes you feel good and reduces cortisol," says Dr. Lustig.

ENERGY SURGES, THEN BOTTOMS OUT

Refined carbs, like those in white bread and pasta, quickly cause a rise in glucose in the bloodstream, so you might feel extra energized—for a while. But this short-term fix can actually leave you more sluggish later on (when you eventually crash). Instead, opt for protein-rich snacks between meals, such as Greek yogurt with fresh berries or fresh veggies and hummus. They help stabilize blood sugar and keep you going longer.

VIA: ANTHEA LEVI

HOW TO STICK TO YOUR DIET AND STILL ENJOY SUMMER SOCIAL EVENTS

No matter the time of year, sticking to a structured nutritional plan can be a battle of the mind.But the battle can be even more difficult in the midst of summer barbeques and with patio season constantly testing our will power.

Although it might seem impossible at first, by changing your mindset and setting yourself up for success it is possible to maintain your nutritional program while still enjoying your summer. The summer isn’t ruined just because you’re on a “diet.”

Here’s how you can have your cake (and ice cream and burgers) and eat it, too - without sacrificing your social life or fitness goals. 

Let Go of the All-or-None Attitude

One of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to stick to a nutritional plan is adopting an all-or-none attitude - i.e. either 100% sticking to a diet or 100% eating everything. "So often, due to the 'all or none' attitude,  people overlook simple and unnoticeable diet swaps, changes, and add-ins that make it much easier to stick to a plan without feeling like you’re dieting."

The interpretation of a “diet” as being temporary or short term reflects the inability to sustain it as a part of everyday life. When approached this way, a diet ends up being cyclical and fleeting. It’s most often during the summer season clients fall off the wagon, and it’s because they maintain a mindset that it’s impossible to stick to a diet while still enjoying life.

With only a few months of fun in the sun, no one wants to feel restricted or like they’re missing out on social opportunities. So more often than not, nutritional goals are put on hold for the season while the focus turns to indulging and relaxing. Unfortunately, this not only postpones the achievement of health and fitness goal, but often undoes previously achieved results. In essence, it results in taking two steps back.

Don’t let the season navigate your goals for you. By making small changes, planning ahead, and changing your thought process, you can achieve continued dietary success throughout the summer months, ensuring enjoyment as well as achievement.

Be Social

A constant challenge when sticking to a nutritional program is that you start feeling like all social events revolve around food. Realistically, the majority of them do - especially in the summer. Hello BBQ!

"The moment you turn down a social event or outing specifically due to dietary restrictions is the moment you define your diet as being non-sustainable - and most often the time you throw in the towel."

But isolating yourself and avoiding potentially tempting situations is a sure-fire way to set yourself up for failure. Instead, by choosing to continue to enjoy and attend social events and maintain your usual level of social activity, you will reinforce within your mindset that maintaining your diet is doable despite you required food choices. The moment you turn down a social event or outing specifically due to dietary restrictions is the moment you define your diet as being non-sustainable - and most often the time you throw in the towel.

Get Creative

One of the easiest ways to stick to a diet plan during the summer is by being creative. So often, due to the “all or none” attitude, I see people overlook simple and unnoticeable diet swaps, changes, and add-ins that make it much easier to stick to a plan without feeling like you’re dieting. Why not save calories where they won’t be missed while still enjoying your favorite foods?

"If you take a more flexible approach to dieting - and are less focused on whole foods and more focused on macronutrient needs - these swaps are great ways to make the most out of your macronutrients."

I’m all for indulging every once in a while, but there are many easy ways to enjoy your favorite non-diet-friendly foods that won’t sabotage your fitness goals, but will still satisfy your guilty pleasure cravings.

Why not:

• Use a sugar-free barbecue sauce instead of the full-sugar?
• Make your own burgers using lean cuts of meat?
• Make a fat-free version of your favorite condiment?

The options are endless! If you take a more flexible approach to dieting - and are less focused on whole foods and more focused on macronutrient needs - these swaps are great ways to make the most out of your macronutrients.

Plan Ahead

I know you’ve heard it a million times, but failing to plan is planning to fail. But if you prepare a game plan for how to navigate whatever social situation you’re going to be in, nine times out of ten it will be possible for you to attend and enjoy your summer outing while still meeting your nutritional goals.

By assessing restaurant menus in advance, asking your host what’s on the menu and offering to bring something if there’s nothing diet friendly, or bringing your own meal along if it’s appropriate, you can almost always meet your needs without missing out on the fun.

This isn’t to say you should be dragging a cooler with you every single day of the summer, but making the extra effort the majority of the time ensures that you’re at least maintaining your previously attained results, if not progressing even closer to your goals.

Suck It Up

Sometimes you’re going to have to deal with the disappointment of not being able to enjoy exactly what you want at every summer outing. Just because you’re at a restaurant, on a patio, or at a BBQ, doesn’t mean you have to indulge in all of your favorites, even if you want to. By attending and ordering to fit your diet plan, you can still enjoy the event and the company. Really, the focus shouldn’t be the food anyway.

"[I]f you prepare a game plan for how to navigate whatever social situation you’re going to be in, nine times out of ten it will be possible for you to attend and enjoy your summer outing while still meeting your nutritional goals."

By reminding yourself that your diet isn’t an all-or-none situation, sticking to your program when and where you can, and making the right choices the majority of the time, I do believe you can indulge every now and then. But do it when you can make the most of it and enjoy it to the fullest, not just because it’s convenient. You’ll be glad you did!

Balance Is Best

Whether you’re eating for physique, function, or both, you can find the balance between continued success toward your health and fitness goals and still enjoying the summer to its full extent. Balance is best, and by making the extra effort to ensure you’re meeting the needs of your nutritional program the majority of the time, you will be on track to not only enjoy your summer but to feel good about the progress you’ve made despite the added challenge.

VIA: Kalli Youngstrom

6 WAYS A FOAM ROLLER BENEFITS YOUR EXERCISE ROUTINE

There are many foam roller benefits. The most important reason being due to myofascial release. Myofascial release is no secret in the fitness community. In fact, therapists and masseuses use the concepts of myofascial release to treat athletes and have been doing so for decades. 

Now, with the advent of foam rollers, athletes and fitness enthusiasts can instantly improve their workouts and decrease their risk of injury.

The best  thing about foal rollers s that you can get many of the benefits of a therapist or masseuse from the comfort of your own home with this inexpensive piece of workout equipment. 

But if you're not sure if using a foam roller is for you, then here are six ways it can have a positive impact on your exercise routine. Followed by some sample movements you can do to get all of these foam roller benefits. 

What is Myofascial Release

First, lets define myofascial release, in case you are unfamiliar with the term. Myofascial release is the application of low-intensity forces to soft tissues over a long period of time. Essentially, the purpose is to allow contracted muscles to relax, which improves blood flow and nutrient flow to the area. The effect is that muscles operate with smoother motion because of reduced internal rubbing.

What are the Foam Roller benefits?

A foam roller is a simple piece of equipment that anyone can use for self-myofascial release. Self-myofascial release, or self-massage, is a great habit for athletes and weight lifters alike. This is because the health benefits increase fitness at a very affordable price.

What will a Foam Roller Do?

Not only are foam rollers inexpensive and readily available, they improve health and reduce injury risk in six ways:

1. Increased Blood Flow

Myofascial release via foam rolling exercises stretches and loosens muscles. By applying force to your muscles and connective tissue over time, blood is squeezed out and replaced by a flood of fresh blood.

Blood carries vital nutrients such as oxygen and glycogen to spent muscles. The greater amount of blood flow leads to various related and beneficial results.

2. Improved Movements

Better hydrated and looser muscles move past one another with less friction. This means that during a workout, movements are smoother and muscles are less likely to be pulled or damaged.

Foam rolling before a workout as part of a dynamic warm-up is especially effective for myofascial release.

3. Better Range of Motion

Another related advantage to self-massage is the improved range of motion of properly stretched and lubricated muscles.

A larger range of motion means that more muscle can be recruited in a given workout, leading to a more effective routine. Better range of motion indicates more flexibility, which leads to the fourth advantage of foam rolling habits.

4. Decreased Injury Risk

As stated before, self-massage increases circulation throughout the body. Better circulation means a better range of motion and more effective body movements.

Overall, myofascial release from foam rolling reduces the chance of injury because coordination of the body is improved. This means that the likelihood of an improper movement leading to injury is reduced significantly.

On the flip side, if an injury does occur, self-massage techniques can be used to decrease recovery time.

5. Decreased Recovery Time

Foam rolling is an effective means to draw blood to an injured area, but also decreases recovery time between workouts. This is especially true of foam rolling after a workout has been completed.

After a workout, muscles and joints become sore because of the build-up of waste products such as lactic acid. When performed post-workout, a self-massage acts to wash the acid away by recruiting fresh blood and nutrients to the fatigued muscle groups.

The faster that exhausted muscles can receive the adequate nutrients for recovery, the faster they can rebuild.

6. Faster Results

All of the positives of myofascial release lead to a decreased recovery time and a lower chance of injury.

If an athlete stays healthy over time while being able to exercise more frequently, then they will inherently produce faster results. Foam rolling is a simple solution to a complex problem with great benefits to practitioners.

When Should I Perform Self-Massage?

Self-massage is best performed before and after a workout. This is because by properly warming up muscles and loosening the body before a workout, the risk of injury is decreased. Pre-workout self-massage also has the indirect effect of increasing the effectiveness of a given workout by training more muscle fibers.

On the other hand, foam rolling post-workout helps to speed recovery. This can be attributed to the flushing of waste products and increased blood flow to fatigued muscles. The new blood supplies the nutrients that the body needs to recover after exertion.

However, if an athlete does not have time for pre and post-workout foam rolling sessions, then pre-workout foam rolling is the priority. No other warm-up technique can prepare a body for a heavy workload and improve performance like myofascial release.

What Types of Movements Should Be Done on a Foam Roller?

The convenience, versatility, and simplicity of a foam roller are astonishing. Almost any muscle group can be massaged and stretched. That includes the upper body and lower body muscles of the front and back.

Foam rolling can yield pain relief to any part of the body, so should be used wherever relief is needed. In general, there are several problem spots common for all athletes that can provide great results.

Foam Rolling the Back

The back is perhaps the easiest area to foam roll and it feels great. Anyone who sits in traffic or works at a computer knows the tension that can build in the back. To release the tension in the back and increase rotational flexibility, start be lying with the roller under your shoulder blades.

Lying with your glutes off the ground and your hands on your chest, roll towards your head, stopping at any sore points. Return to the start position and repeat the movement. Be careful to support your neck and don’t put undue pressure on the spine. Keep the weight of your body supported with your back on the roller.

Foam Rolling the IT Bands

This group of muscles and tendons on the side of the thigh is infamously one of the most painful to foam roll. However, IT band myofascial release is perhaps one of the most beneficial types of release for active people. The IT band runs from the knee to the hip and if inflamed causes many types of lower body discomfort.

To relieve pain in the IT bands, start in a side plank position with the roller just below the hip joint. Use your hands and off foot for support as you roll along the outer thigh down to the knee. When you find a tender spot, pause and let the weight of your body work out the knot.

Then, continuing rolling until there are no longer any tight spots. With consistent use, the act of self-massaging the IT bands will become less painful.

Foam Rolling the Calves

The calves are an oft-forgotten muscle group in training and stretching. Unfortunately, continued neglect can lead to tight calves and less than optimal ankle joint function.

To release the calves position the roller on the calf muscle below the knee. Then, support your upper body on your hands, with your bottom off the floor.  Finally, roll over the calves to the ankles and back up to the knee.

To alternate the stretch and release, vary the position of your toes. Point them up, down and to the sides to reach different parts of the muscles. The back, IT bands, and calves are just some of the most effective foam rolling exercises. But as I mentioned, a foam roller can be used on almost any body part for great results.

Foam Roll to Maximize Fitness

Self-myofascial release is a great way to cheaply and easily improve your overall health. A simple $20 foam roller can provide years of pain relief and injury prevention. Consider adding a foam roller to your fitness arsenal. All the muscles of your body will be happy you did and the results of you hard work in the gym will come more quickly and less painfully.

VIA: Develop Good Habits

11 Reasons Apple Cider Vinegar Weight Loss Works

Scientific studies show that apple cider vinegar may have wonderful health properties that can help you slim down. Here's how.

Apple cider vinegar helps to control blood sugar

An apple cider vinegar weight-loss plan affects how blood sugar is regulated, according to a study by Carol Johnston, PhD, at Arizona State University. "Her research provides evidence that drinking vinegar before eating actually led to a decrease in change of blood glucose post meals," says Tanya Zuckerbrot MS, RD, New York City-based registered dietitian. "Drinking apple cider vinegar before a carbohydrate-filled meal can reduce blood sugar spikes that would usually occur after eating."

ACV affects how food is digested

Researchers theorize that apple cider vinegar for weight loss helps achieve this blood-sugar regulation in a few different ways. "Carol Johnston believes the acetic acid in the vinegar blocks disaccharidases, enzymes that break down starches for digestion, from being absorbed into the bloodstream," Zuckerbrot says. "If the disaccharides from the carbohydrates we eat cannot be digested then we avoid the rapid increase of our blood sugar level, which is followed by a subsequent drop." Healthy diets often control blood sugar to keep our eating patterns more regular. 

ACV makes you feel full

One way to fight back is with ACV, which can also give a feeling of fullness after a meal and keep you from reaching for that evening snack a couple of hours later. "A small Swedish study found when individuals consumed vinegar with a meal, they reported feeling a higher level of satiety after eating than those who did not consume vinegar," says registered dietitian Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDE. 

ACV may control appetite

"Acetic acid, the main component of vinegar, has been promoted as a natural appetite suppressant," Zuckerbrot says, which has been shown in research from the U.K. Blood sugar drops leave us craving sugar to replace it, and instead, the acetic acid helps keep it steady. "When blood sugar levels are more evenly maintained, cravings for sugar and unhealthy foods are minimized or not experienced," she says. One way apple cider vinegar for weight loss works is to help us avoid binging later on.

ACV affects insulin regulation

"It appears from the results of one small study in the American Diabetes Association journal Diabetes Care that consuming vinegar with a carbohydrate-rich meal may improve insulin sensitivity directly after the meal in those with insulin resistance or who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes," Palinski-Wade says. In addition, "an improvement in insulin regulation in the body may be beneficial for weight management."

ACV is helpful for diabetics

You can potentially reverse type 2 diabetes if you drop pounds, and an apple cider vinegar weight-loss plan can help you do that. "Apple cider vinegar may be particularly useful for people with diabetes because blood glucose control is a main concern for diabetes management, and it can affect insulin sensitivity," Zuckerbrot says. But, be careful if you're on meds for your condition. "Since vinegar may reduce blood glucose levels after meals, those taking medications to reduce them, such as insulin, should carefully monitor their readings and response to prevent hypoglycemic episodes," Palinski-Wade says.

ACV may help you lose fat

So apple cider vinegar may work to regulate blood sugar, appetite, insulin and cravings, but it can actually melt pounds? Some research suggests it does. "In 2009 a double-blind, placebo-controlled study was done investigating the effects of apple cider vinegar intake on body weight and abdominal fat in 175 obese Japanese subjects," Zuckerbrot says. "This was the first study to show that continuous vinegar intake reduces body weight, BMI, and body fat mass." She says acetic acid may help fat breakdown. 

ACV may improve metabolism

We all want to know the ways to get the metabolism of a 25-year-old, and apple cider vinegar may be one of them. "Although this has not been proven in human studies, one animal study from Japan found consuming vinegar may increase the production of an enzyme responsible for fat burning," Palinski-Wade says. 

Why ACV is different from other vinegars

Eating an apple a day may be one of many old-time remedies we need to bring back—and likewise, apple cider vinegar weight loss works through its unique properties. "In comparison to other vinegar, apple cider vinegar has a slightly higher mineral and vitamin content," Zuckerbrot says. "Since it is made from apple it also retains its natural antioxidants, fruit polyphenols, and essential nutrients necessary for normal body function like digestion and metabolism." In addition, ACV contains pectin, found naturally in apples. "Pectin is known to increase satiety, which aids in weight loss," she says. You can choose filtered or unfiltered—unfiltered is often unpasteurized and contains the "mother," leftover bacteria from the fermentation process, which some say has potent medicinal properties. But Zuckerbrot says to use whichever type you prefer.

How to consume ACV for the most benefits

The benefits of apple cider vinegar go beyond weight loss, and are a healthy addition to any meal—they can even help tummy troubles. "One to two tablespoons of vinegar may be diluted into eight ounces of water or added into a marinade, salad dressing, or soup," Palinski-Wade says. Zuckerbrot says you can also use it in smoothies, a homemade brine for pickles, or DIY BBQ sauce. "Johnston [the researcher from Arizona State] suggests drinking apple cider vinegar on an empty stomach at the beginning of your meal to reduce insulin and glucose spikes," she says. Just don't drink it straight—the acid can damage your tooth enamel and throat.

Don't use ACV as an excuse

As with all weight-loss tips, you can't rely solely on one thing to make the pounds drop—and using ACV as a reason not to take other measures to get healthy will backfire. "Apple cider vinegar is not a magic eraser! Just because apple cider vinegar has many diverse health benefits, it does not negate the negative health effects of unhealthy foods, nor are its weight-loss benefits potent enough to simply counteract caloric intake," Zuckerbrot says. "While it can certainly aid in weight loss, it does not actually causeweight loss."

VIA:  TINA DONVITO

HOW TO INCREASE CALORIE INTAKE AFTER DIET

If you have successfully lost weight, you may be concerned about regaining your weight. You are right to be concerned, as according Traci Mann, author of the 2007 study published in the American Psychologist journal, between one and two thirds of people who diet regain the weight they lost, plus more. Once you reach your goal weight, the job is not over. You have just entered a new phase of your healthy lifestyle--the maintenance phase. Tread carefully as you learn how to add just enough calories to stop losing weight, but not so many as to gain weight.

Step 1

Wait at least two weeks after you reach your goal before adjusting your calorie level. Use those two weeks to settle into your new weight and see if you are still losing weight. Weigh yourself every day and write your weight down. Continue writing down or tracking your calories so you know approximately how many calories you are currently eating. A 2007 study led by Meghan L. Butryn of Drexel University and published in the journal Obesity, studied the long-term maintenance success of members of the National Weight Control Registry. She and her colleagues found that participants who stopped weighing themselves after reaching maintenance, frequently experienced an increase in weight.

Step 2

Add 100 calories a day the third week after you reach your goal weight. Focus on adding healthy calories like one apple and a half an ounce of cheese. One hundred calories is not very much food, so measure, weigh and read the food labels to be sure you are not adding too many calories at once. Eat an extra piece of bread with dinner and five crackers with lunch. Continue weighing yourself daily. As the National Institute of Health explains, if you take in more calories, or energy than you need, you will gain weight.

Step 3

Continue the fourth week by reviewing your daily weight graph. If you are losing a small amount of weight, you can be assured that you are close to finding the balance point. If you maintain your weight during week three, do not add any more calories. If you are losing, add another 100 calories. Eat a snack of granola and raisins, an extra 1/2 cup of pasta with dinner or a whole sandwich rather than a half or a second helping of cereal.

Step 4

Continue adding 100 calories a week until you are not losing nor gaining weight. To avoid the common problem of regaining lost weight, be diligent in watching your food intake until you sense that your new way of eating is something you can continue forever. Dr. David A. Kessler, author of the book "The End of Overeating," concludes his book by saying that you must take control over your emotions and thoughts surrounding food to maintain a healthy weight.

Step 5

Adjust your caloric intake in the weeks and months after your weight loss success based on your weight tracking and your level of physical activity. If you begin to exercise or exercise more after you reach your goal weight, add a few extra calories a day. If you weigh 160 pounds, and walk for 30 minutes, you burn about 90 calories, according to the MayoClinic. Add between 50 to 90 calories to your daily maintenance calories and track your weight for signs of stability. Cut your calories if you stop exercising or change the amount of exercise you do.

Tips

• Continue meeting with a support group after you reach your goal weight. Ask a friend or family member to hold you accountable during the first year of maintenance. Donate clothes that no longer fit you. Try new recipes and learn how to handle restaurant meals.

VIA: Diane Lynn

INTERMITTENT FASTING 101 - THE ULTIMATE BEGINNER'S GUIDE

Intermittent fasting (IF) is currently one of the world's most popular health and fitness trends. People are using it to lose weight, improve health and simplify their healthy lifestyle. Many studies show that it can have powerful effects on your body and brain, and may even help you live longer. This is the ultimate beginner's guide to intermittent fasting.

What Is Intermittent Fasting (IF)?

Intermittent fasting (IF) is a term for an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. 

It does not say anything about which foods you should eat, but rather when you should eat them. 

In this respect, it is not a "diet" in the conventional sense. It is more accurately described as an "eating pattern." Common intermittent fasting methods involve daily 16 hour fasts, or fasting for 24 hours, twice per week.

 Humans have actually been fasting throughout evolution. Sometimes it was done because food was not available, and it has also been a part of major religions, including Islam, Christianity and Buddhism. 

When you think about it, our hunter-gatherer ancestors didn't have supermarkets, refrigerators or food available year-round. Sometimes we couldn't find anything to eat, and our bodies evolved to be able to function without food for extended periods of time.

If anything, fasting from time to time is more "natural" than constantly eating 3-4 (or more) meals per day.

BOTTOM LINE: Intermittent fasting (IF) is a term for an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. It is currently very popular in the health and fitness community.

How to Do Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting has been very popular for many years and several different methods have been used.

All of them involve splitting the day or week into "eating periods" and "fasting periods." During the fasting periods, you eat either very little or nothing at all.

These are the most popular methods:

• The 16/8 Method: Also called the Leangains protocol, it involves skipping breakfast and restricting your daily eating period to 8 hours, for example from 1 pm to 9 pm. Then you "fast" for 16 hours in between.
• Eat-Stop-Eat: This involves fasting for 24 hours, once or twice a week, for example by not eating from dinner one day until dinner the next day.
• The 5:2 Diet: On two non-consecutive days of the week, only eat 500-600 calories. Eat normally the other 5 days. More details here.

By making you eat fewer calories, all of these methods should make you lose weight as long as you don't compensate by eating much more during the eating periods.

I've personally found the 16/8 method to be the simplest, most sustainable and easiest to stick to. It is also the most popular.

BOTTOM LINE: There are several different ways to do intermittent fasting. All of them split the day or week into "eating periods" and "fasting periods."

How Intermittent Fasting Affects Your Cells and Hormones

When you fast, several things happen in your body on the cellular and molecular level.

For example, your body changes hormone levels to make stored body fat more accessible.

Your cells also initiate important repair processes, and change the expression of genes.

Here are some changes that occur in your body when you fast:

• Human Growth Hormone (HGH): The levels of growth hormone skyrocket, increasing as much as 5-fold. This has benefits for fat loss and muscle gain, to name a few.
• Insulin: Insulin sensitivity improves and levels of insulin drop dramatically. Lower insulin levels make stored body fat more accessible.
• Cellular repair: When fasted, your cells initiate cellular repair processes. This includes autophagy, where cells digest and remove old and dysfunctional proteins that build up inside cells.
• Gene expression: There are changes in the function of genes related to longevity and protection against disease.

These changes in hormone levels, cell function and gene expression are responsible for the health benefits of intermittent fasting.

BOTTOM LINE: When you fast, human growth hormone levels go up and insulin levels go down. Your body’s cells also change the expression of genes and initiate important cellular repair processes.

Intermittent Fasting Is a Very Powerful Weight Loss Tool

Weight loss is the most common reason that people try intermittent fasting.

By making you eat fewer meals, intermittent fasting can lead to an automatic reduction in calorie intake.

Additionally, intermittent fasting changes hormone levels to facilitate weight loss.

In addition to lower insulin and increased growth hormone levels, it increases release of the fat burning hormone norepinephrine (noradrenaline).

Because of these changes in hormones, short-term fasting may actually increase your metabolic rate by 3.6-14%.

By helping you eat less (fewer calories in) and helping you burn more (more calories out), intermittent fasting causes weight loss by changing both sides of the calorie equation.

Studies show that intermittent fasting can be a very powerful weight loss tool. In a review study from 2014, it was shown to cause weight loss of 3-8% over periods of 3-24 weeks.

That is actually a very large amount compared to most weight loss studies.

According to this study, people also lost 4-7% of their waist circumference. This indicates that they lost significant amounts of the harmful belly fat that builds up around the organs and causes disease.

There is also one study showing that intermittent fasting causes less muscle loss than the more standard method of continuous calorie restriction.

However, keep in mind that the main reason this works, is that it helps you eat fewer calories overall. If you binge and eat massive amounts during the eating periods, then you may not lose any weight at all.

BOTTOM LINE: Intermittent fasting may boost metabolism slightly, while helping you eat fewer calories. It is a very effective way to lose weight and belly fat.

Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

Many studies have been done on intermittent fasting, in both animals and humans.

These studies have shown that it can have powerful benefits for weight control and the health of your body and brain. It may even help you live longer.

Here are the main health benefits of intermittent fasting:

• Weight loss: As mentioned above, intermittent fasting can help you lose weight and belly fat, without having to consciously restrict calories.
• Insulin resistance: Intermittent fasting can reduce insulin resistance, lowering blood sugar by 3-6% and fasting insulin levels by 20-31%. This should protect against type 2 diabetes.
• Inflammation: Some studies show reductions in markers of inflammation, a key driver of many chronic diseases.
• Heart health: Intermittent fasting may reduce LDL cholesterol, blood triglycerides, inflammatory markers, blood sugar and insulin resistance. These are all risk factors for heart disease.
• Cancer: Animal studies suggest that intermittent fasting may help prevent cancer.
• Brain health: Intermittent fasting increases a brain hormone called BDNF, and may aid the growth of new nerve cells. It may also protect against Alzheimer's disease.
• Anti-aging: Intermittent fasting can extend lifespan in rats. Studies showed that fasted rats live as much as 36-83% longer.

Keep in mind that the research is still in its early stages. Many of the studies were small, short in duration or conducted in animals. Many questions have yet to be answered in higher quality human studies.

BOTTOM LINE: Intermittent fasting can have many benefits for your body and brain. It can cause weight loss, and may protect against type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. It may also help you live longer.

Intermittent Fasting Makes Your Healthy Lifestyle Simpler

Eating healthy is simple, but it can be incredibly hard to stick to.

One of the main obstacles is all the work required to plan for and cook healthy meals.

If you do intermittent fasting, this gets easier because you don't need to plan, cook or clean up after as many meals as before.

Intermittent fasting is actually very popular among the "life hacking" crowd because it improves your health while simplifying your life at the same time.

BOTTOM LINE: One of the major benefits of intermittent fasting is that it makes healthy eating simpler. There are fewer meals that you need to prepare, cook and clean up after.

Safety and Side Effects

Hunger is the main side effect of intermittent fasting.

You may also feel weak and that your brain isn't performing as well as you're used to.

This may only be temporary, as it can take some time for your body to adapt to the new meal schedule.

If you have a medical condition, then you should consult with your doctor before trying intermittent fasting.

This is particularly important if you:

• Have diabetes.
• Have problems with blood sugar regulation.
• Have low blood pressure.
• Take medications.
• Are underweight.
• Have a history of eating disorders.
• Are a female who is trying to conceive.
• Are a female with a history of amenorrhea.
• Are pregnant or breastfeeding.

All that being said, intermittent fasting does have an outstanding safety profile. There is nothing "dangerous" about not eating for a while if you are healthy and well nourished overall.

BOTTOM LINE: The most common side effect of intermittent fasting is hunger. People with certain medical conditions should not fast without consulting with a doctor first.

Frequently Asked Questions About Intermittent Fasting

Here are answers to the most common questions about intermittent fasting.

1. Can I drink liquids during the fast?

Yes. Water, coffee, tea and other non-caloric beverages are fine. Do not add sugar to your coffee. Small amounts of milk or cream may be okay.

Coffee can be particularly beneficial during a fast, because it can blunt hunger.

2. Isn't it unhealthy to skip breakfast?

No. The problem is that most stereotypical breakfast skippers have unhealthy lifestyles. If you make sure to eat healthy food for the rest of the day then it is fine.

3. Can I take supplements while fasting?

Yes. However, keep in mind that some supplements (like fat-soluble vitamins) may work better when taken with meals.

4. Can I work out while fasted?

Yes, fasted workouts are fine. Some people recommend taking branched-chain amino acids(BCAAs) before a fasted workout.

5. Will fasting cause muscle loss?

All weight loss methods can cause muscle loss, that is why it is important to lift weights and keep protein intake high. One study shows that intermittent fasting causes less muscle loss than regular calorie restriction.

6. Will fasting slow down my metabolism?

No. Studies show that short-term fasts actually boost metabolism. However, longer fasts (3 days or more) can suppress metabolism.

How to Start

Chances are that you've already done many "intermittent fasts" in your life.

If you've ever eaten dinner, then slept late and not eaten until lunch the next day, then you've probably already done a 16+ hour fast.

Many people actually instinctively eat this way. They simply don't feel hungry in the morning.

I personally find that the 16/8 method is the simplest and most sustainable way to do intermittent fasting. I recommend that you try that one first.

Another approach is to simply fast whenever it is convenient. As in, skip meals from time to time when you're not hungry or don't have time to cook.

There is no need to follow a structured intermittent fasting plan to derive at least some of the benefits.

I recommend that you experiment with the different approaches and find something that you enjoy and fits your schedule.

BOTTOM LINE: It is recommended to start with the 16/8 method, then perhaps later move on to longer fasts. It is important to experiment and find something that works for you.

Should You Try Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting is not something that anyone needs to do.

It is just one of many lifestyle strategies that can improve your health. Eating real food, exercising and taking care of your sleep are still the most important factors to focus on.

If you don't like the idea of fasting, then you can safely ignore all of this. Just continue to do what works for you.

At the end of the day, there is no one-size-fits-all solution in nutrition. The best diet for you is the one you can stick to in the long run.

Intermittent fasting is great for some people, not others. The only way to find out which group you belong to is to try it out.

If you feel good when fasting and find it to be a sustainable way of eating, then it can be a very powerful tool to lose weight and improve health.

Via: Kris Gunnars

WAYS TO STAY MOTIVATED TO WORK OUT DURING THE WINTER

1. Stop hitting the snooze button.

If you plan on working out in the morning, set one alarm—not several— and get up immediately. Put your phone or alarm across the room from you, so you have no choice but to get out of bed to shut it off. The first morning may be challenging, but over time, you'll fall into a consistent, easy wake-up routine—just wash your face, brush your teeth, dress for the weather, and push yourself to get going.

2. Establish a consistent schedule.

Schedule your workouts in your planner, and set digital reminders. Use a good old-fashioned calendar, and mark each day you exercise with a check—seeing what you've accomplished will help keep you on track. If you plan a workout date with a friend, you'll be less likely to bail.

3. But don't be afraid to mix up your routines.

Once your workout routine gets boring, try something different. Changing your workouts will not only keep you interested, but it will also help you continue evolving and improving.

4. Eat clean.

If you fall into winter hibernation mode, it's easy to overdo it at meals. But exceeding your personal eating limits will only make your workout harder. Prepare healthy meals to give yourself energy and stamina at the gym. A fridge stocked with fruits and veggies helps me eat clean, which motivates me to workout every day.

5. Train for seasonal sports.

Embrace seasonal activities like skiing, snowshoeing, or ice skating. Using the winter months to program sport-specific workouts for my clients can be motivating to work towards a specific goal. Doing so can also help you stay fit and injury-free during the season with strength and stability training. The winter is also a great time to prepare for spring and summer sports with balance and agility training—so when the warm weather hits, you'll be ready to crush your sport.

6. Sign up for a race.

Whether it's a race, competition, or workshop, find an upcoming fitness event that will force you to get moving. Ideally, have the date set for March, so you have to continue to train through the winter. If you've already paid for an event, you're more likely to stick to your training schedule. 

7. Find your "why."

Determine what drives you to work out. Is it health-related? Do you want to set an example for your children? Are you looking to connect with other like-minded individuals? It may take a little digging, but there's a unique and personal reason deep in your gut why you chose to lace up your sneaks and work out today—find that reason.

Via: Maggie Finn Ryan

20 LOW-CARB SUBSTITUTES THAT DON'T SUCK

What do mac and cheese, stacks of pancakes, and bowls of pasta all have in common? If you answered, “Umm, they’re delicious,” you’d be right. But they’re also heavy in carbs and can leave you feeling tired and annoyed. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. We’ve gathered some of the most notorious carb-heavy foods and found a delicious, low-carb alternative to satisfy any craving.

1. Cilantro-Lime Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps

Because you can turn almost any sandwich into a lettuce wrap, we’re partial to this version that replaces taco shells with iceberg lettuce and fills it with juicy turkey, a delicious homemade salsa, and all your favorite taco fixings. Increase nutrients even more by replacing the lettuce with spinach leaves.

2. Turkey Cacciatore Burgers on Portobello “Buns”

A classy twist on the average turkey burger, this nutritious recipe comes together quickly—the mushrooms roast in the oven for 12 minutes while the turkey cooks on the stovetop—looks complicated (read: serve when you have friends coming over), and tastes delicious. Packed with protein, thanks to turkey, plenty of potassium courtesy of the mushrooms, and crazy tasty. What more do you need?

3. Roasted Eggplant with Tomatoes and Mint

Not quite a sandwich but an elegant spin on bruschetta, this recipe forgoes bread for eggplant, for a healthier version of the Italian classic. While the eggplant roasts in the oven, mix the remaining handful of ingredients (onions, tomatoes, capers) to get them ready to be scooped onto the eggplant and you’re done!

4. Baked Butternut Squash Fries

When you need a crunchy fry, these crispy squash spears fit the bill. Technically a fruit, butternut squash is full of nutrients like potassium and carotenoids (which help protect your heart). Speed things up by skipping the peeling step—the fries will still be delicious. 

5. Roasted Turnips with Parmesan

Haven’t ever really eaten turnips? It’s time to give them a second look. They’re inexpensive and their natural sweetness makes them seem like a real treat. Leave the skins on the turnips before roasting to make this already super-easy recipe even quicker. Try them alongside your favorite burger or sandwich recipe for a fry that’s a vegetable in disguise.

6. Healthy Baked Carrot Fries

Here’s a kitchen secret: when carrots are baked, they taste surprisingly similar to sweet potatoes. That makes these beta-carotene-packed carrot fries all the more sweet. Just chop, toss in salt and pepper, and bake. Want to add some extra zing? Use your favorite spices like garlic, Old Bay, or crushed red pepper to up the flavor even more.

7. Delicious Zucchini Lasagna

You won’t miss the noodles in this meaty, cheesy lasagna that’s packed with fresh zucchini. Just two or three thinly sliced zucchinis are needed to replace normal lasagna noodles. Give it a whirl in the summer when farmers’ markets and gardens are bursting with the vegetable.

8. Easy Eggplant Lasagna

If you love eggplant, this recipe’s for you. If you don’t love eggplant yet, you will after whipping up this pasta-free dish. It comes together quickly for a lasagna that’s got all the flavor of the familiar version without the carbs. It’s also insanely flexible: peel or don’t peel the eggplant and make the slices as thick (or thin) as you like. Use jarred pasta sauce to speed things up even more.

9. Mac-and-Cheese-Style Cauliflower

A creamy, cheesy alternative to typical mac and cheese, it’s not a stretch to think this version is preferable to using elbow pasta, no matter what your relationship with carbs may be. Boil cauliflower, whisk up a cheese sauce, and throw it all in the oven. For a fancier twist, use your favorite non-cheddar cheeses or a combo (mozzarella and pepper jack, anyone?)

10. Mashed Cauliflower With Garlic and Chives

Move over, cream- and butter-laden mashed potatoes—there’s a new side dish in town. This mashed cauliflower takes on the consistency of potatoes after getting chopped up in a food processor or blender (or use a potato masher to get chunkier “potato” pieces and work on your upper arm strength!), so get ready to enjoy a favorite comfort food minus piles of carbs. The garlic and chives add an extra dimension of flavor that's sure to be a hit.

11. Fluffy Little Almond Flour Pancakes

Using almond instead of wheat-based flour keeps these breakfast beauties lower in carbs without sacrificing the tiniest bit of taste. Whip up the batter with a blender for a quicker breakfast, or use a bowl and whisk—either option yields delicious results. Add berries for some color and a fruity zing. Oh, and trust us one this one—make an extra batch to freeze for a busy morning.

12. Oatmeal and Cottage Cheese Banana Pancakes for One

It’s a lucky thing that this recipe is for one, because you won’t want to share. Oats and cottage cheese come together as pancake batter, while banana adds a hint of natural sweetness. Blend for just 30 seconds and drop batter onto a heated skillet for perfect pancakes. Don’t forget add-ins like chocolate chips!

13. Portabello Mushroom Pizzas

You will believe it when you taste it—mushrooms make an incredibly tasty pizza crust. Lunch or dinner doesn’t get simpler than this: drizzle mushroom caps with olive oil, load up on your favorite toppings like cheese or veggies, and bake. Sprinkle a little fresh basil on to bring it over the top.

14. Cauliflower Pizza Crust With Roasted Vegetables and Goat Cheese

Is there anything cauliflower can’t disguise itself as? Don’t be put off by making your own “dough.” The taste is well worth it, and takes less time than traditional dough (no rising, yay!). Roasted veggies and goat cheese are a tasty topping, but if you prefer a more conventional pizza, load it up with marinara and mozz.

15. Simply Cauliflower Rice

Try this basic recipe when you’re just craving a big ol’ bowl of rice. If you’re looking for something fancier, the suggested add-ins like lemon and sea salt or curry, ginger, and red chilies will jazz up your cauliflower in no time (We especially have our eyes on the Spanish cauliflower rice version that includes salsa and jalapenos!).

Also try: Black bean spaghetti, shredded cabbage, spaghetti squash, or sweet potato noodles

16. Mexican Black Bean Spaghetti

Spaghetti made out of... black beans?! With 25 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber per serving, this alternative will keep you feeling full and satisfied much longer than whole-wheat spaghetti noodles. Give it a whirl in this Mexican-inspired dish.

17. Shrimp with Bok Choy, Sriracha, and Shirataki Noodles

Sriracha, garlic, and veggies are an epic trio, and this alternative is just as delightful. This version lightens the load by using Japanese shirataki noodles (made out of yams and already cooked!), which have zero carbs, to create a restaurant-worthy—but still healthy—dish.

18. Skinny Spaghetti

Cabbage masked as spaghetti? Trust us, it works. The cabbage “noodles” lose their cabbage-y flavor, and become the perfect vehicle for this flavorful chili that uses staple ingredients like garlic and chopped tomatoes. Bonus: Use the leftover chili in a burrito, taco, or even eat it on its own.

19. Spaghetti Squash with Marinara

Using only four ingredients, this basic recipe is a great base to build a simple spaghetti dish. Adding vegetables like mushrooms or spinach boosts healthful goodness, while throwing in some cooked chicken or shrimp will give it an extra protein boost. But if you want to eat it as is, using squash instead of typical pasta will keep you guilt-free.

20. Japchae (Korean Stir-Fried Sweet Potato Noodles)

Vegetarian-friendly, throw this this stir-fry together quickly for an easy after-work dinner. The prep and cook time are equally minimal, and the dish tastes great served warm or at room temperature (and yes, even cold, and straight from the refrigerator!).

VIA: KISSAIRIS MUNOZ

15 PAINLESS WAYS TO CRUSH SUGAR CRAVINGS

A mouth full of fudgy frosting on your birthday, a fork full of toasty pecan pie at Thanksgiving, a cold bowl full of cookies ‘n cream on a hot August afternoon: These time-honored treats are among life’s sweetest pleasures, meant to be savored and enjoyed.

Problem is, for many of us, sugar has become an overwhelming daily temptation that we feel powerless to resist. Instead of occasionally indulging in special-occasion desserts, many of us are straight up hooked on sweets, needing a daily (sometimes hourly!) fix to satisfy our sugar addiction. If you’ve ever found yourself in a sugar-trance, locked onto a doughnut like a heat-seeking missile, you know how potent sugar cravings can be.

But no matter how severely you’re strung out on the sweet stuff, there’s hope! In The Sugar Smart Diet, Anne Alexander argues that the key to reclaiming sugar’s simple, sweet pleasure is to take back control by first breaking the powerful hold it has on your body and mind. Breaking your addiction leads to what Alexander calls “sugar freedom,” a state in which you call the shots—not your cravings. Not Krispy Kreme. You.

Ready to adopt a take-it-or-leave-it attitude toward the cookie tray? Try these Sugar Smart tips to crush your sugar cravings faster than you can scarf down a Snickers:

1. Eat a protein-packed breakfast

Research shows that protein in the a.m. makes it difficult for sugar cravings to take hold later on. Lean protein options like Greek yogurt, peanut butter, eggs, and low-fat cheese produce less of the hunger-stimulating hormone ghrelin and more PPY, a hormone that signals fullness. MRI scans of high-protein breakfast eaters in a University of Missouri study showed reduced activity in areas of the brain associated with cravings. Can’t stomach food too early in the morning? No problem. Eat it by 10 a.m. and you’ll still help quell that late-day sugar yen.

2. Never go hungry

Meal skipping is a guaranteed way to fire up sugar cravings. Skipping meals lowers blood sugar levels and causes you to overeat the rest of the day to make up for missed calories. Keep things steady by eating five times a day – three meals and two snacks of nourishing and delicious whole foods such as whole grains, beans, lean meats/poultry/fish, nuts, unsweetened low-fat dairy, eggs, and veggies. They’ll fill you up and give you the ideal balance of lean protein, energizing carbohydrates, and healthy fats to steady your blood sugar and insulin levels and extinguish cravings for sugar.

3. Suss out secret sugars

True to their name, secret sugars lurk in foods you don’t even think of as sweet: Everything from ketchup to crackers, salad dressings to pasta sauce. The problem with these secret sugars isn’t just that they put you on sugar overload (which they do; the average American takes in a whopping 22 teaspoons of added sugar each day—the ideal is 6). It’s that added sugars stoke appetite and beget more cravings, trapping you in a vicious cycle of wanting more, more, more. Search your fridge and pantry and read every label. Find the foods with sugar listed in the first few ingredients and seek out low-sugar alternatives to dial down your sugar intake.

4. Pump up the flavor

Sugar may be sweet, but there are plenty of other fabulous tastes out there that you may be missing out on. If you’ve ever seeded a fragrant vanilla bean for a special dish or topped a sliced tomato with fresh basil leaves, you know how much flavor herbs and spices can add. Experiment liberally with spices of all kinds (added bonus: warm spices like cinnamon and ginger can quell a sweet tooth). And don’t forget other flavor boosters like balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon and orange zest, and hot sauce to perk up your taste buds. Stir your coffee with a stick of cinnamon…toss plain, air-popped popcorn with smoked paprika…the more adventuresome you are, the more you’ll grow to appreciate flavor, and put sugar in its rightful place in the process.

5. Sleep more, crave less

The key to stopping sugar cravings in their tracks is balancing the hormones ghrelin (an appetite trigger) and leptin (which signals satiety), along with insulin. Get these hormones working in harmony and you’ll experience fewer cravings—and less fat storage. But if you get less than the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sack time, you may be undercutting this goal. In a University of Chicago study, a few sleepless nights were enough to drop levels of leptin by 18 percent and boost levels of ghrelin by about 30 percent. Those two changes alone caused cravings for sugary foods to jump 45 percent. Sleep deprivation not only makes sugary foods more appealing, it may also lower your ability to resist them. The parts of your brain that usually put the brakes on cravings aren’t as active when you’re tired, research conducted at the University of California, Berkley found. The upshot? Get your zzz’s to strike the all-important hormonal balance and boost your craving-crushing stamina.

6. Rev up your movement to dial down your cravings

If you’re plagued by strong sugar cravings, getting your body moving may help deactivate them. According to a study published in Applied Psychology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, the more you sit, the greater your appetite – even if your body doesn’t need the calories. Moderate exercise also helps keep muscle cells sensitive to insulin. Strength training builds stronger muscles, which in turn use up more glucose. Any physical activity that you enjoy will help get sugar off your brain—and belly.

7. Soothe what’s really bothering you

The link between emotional comfort and sweets is primal – and persistent. Rewarded with candy when growing up? You may still treat yourself to dessert for a job well done. Did you push back the confusion and loneliness of adolescence with candy bars? You may still be doing that as an adult. To break the cycle of reaching for sugar when you are emotionally cued to, you have to have something that will short-circuit your reflex response. The first step toward breaking the emotional connection between emotions and food is to become aware of the feelings that drive you to crave sweets. Not after the fact – the very moment you reach for sugar. To get a split second of clarity as your fingers close in on your co-worker’s candy dish: Why am I reaching for this? In those moments, remember this simple but powerful catchphrase: “Stop. Slow down. Think.” That will enable you to determine whether you really want the sweet or whether you are just feeding your emotions.

8. Pinpoint your sugar pitfalls

Do the doughnuts in the coffee room at work every morning call out to you? Think through your day and identify where and when you are most susceptible to sugar’s lure, and ask yourself why you “need” sugar in those moments. Is it because you’re starving when you get to work and the doughnuts are just too tempting to resist? Empower yourself with new, positive alternatives you can use to meet that need. Perhaps it’s making sure you eat a healthy breakfast and bypassing the doughnuts on your way to your desk. Fill your need in healthier ways and sugar loses its power over you.

9. Find healthier rewards

Instead of treating yourself to sweets, treat yourself to pleasure! Often we reach for sugar when we’re stressed, lonely, or bored. But there are far better ways to turn around a bad mood or energy lull. Make your own personal “rewards card”—a list of nourishing activities that you can whip out any time you find yourself reaching for sweets. Your rewards should be things that elicit the same pleasure you feel when you indulge in a favorite dessert. Think of things you can do instantly and that last for the 15 to 20 minutes you otherwise might spend lost in a sugar episode. For instance: listen to music, dance like crazy, call a friend, paint your toenails, go for a bike ride, pet the cat, watch junky TV, plan a dream vacation, or just lay down and look at the sky. This strategy of pleasure-focused redirection will work like a charm to keep you focused on nonfood sources of happiness.

10. Supplement with calcium and vitamin D

Are you taking a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement? Good! Several studies suggest that multivitamins that contain vitamin D and calcium can potentially lower cravings and promote weight loss. Extra body fat holds on to vitamin D so that the body can’t use it, and this perceived deficiency interferes with the action of leptin (the hormone that signals your brain that you’re full). If you’re deficient in calcium, your body can experience up to a fivefold increase in the fatty acid synthase, an enzyme that converts calories into fat. While a multivitamin can’t replace a healthy diet, this bit of extra nutrition “insurance” can’t hurt—and you might just find your cravings lessen while your weight loss speeds up.

11. Snap out of temptation with a photo

Research shows that people who keep a food diary lose more weight. But that doesn’t have to be limited to just writing down what you eat. In a study published in the International Journal of Consumer Studies, volunteers recorded what they ate on paper and in photos. They all reported that the act of taking the photos—and the photos themselves—raised their awareness of what they were eating. By taking pictures of your food before you eat it, you give yourself that crucial split-second pause that enables you to reconsider your selection. Seeing that softball-ball size cinnamon bun in a photo before you down it may jolt you into making a healthier choice.

12. Relax with a cup of tea and a novel

We all know that stress powers sugar cravings. And there’s nothing new about advice to carve out “me time” to combat stress. What is new is a study from England’s University of Sussex that found reading can slash stress by a stunning 68 percent! Other methods the study tested that also work are listening to music (61 percent) or sipping a cup of tea (54 percent). It’s a great way to divert yourself when you get that urge to munch. Pick a quiet spot where you won’t be interrupted and brew a cup of calming tea, such as chamomile, to sip while you turn the pages.

13. Stay hydrated

If your sweet tooth is on overdrive, turn on the tap and drink up. Dehydration can spike cravings for sugar and junk food dramatically – and may take a toll on your mood. Recent studies have linked mild dehydration to fatigue, anxiety, poor concentration, and even your cranky midday slump that can send you lunging for the vending machine. The latest guidelines from the Institute of Medicine recommend that women get 91 ounces of water a day, but you’ll be happy to know that not all of it has to come from the tap. At least 20 percent can come from food. So eat lots of fruits and veggies to make a hefty dent in your water needs.

14. Soothe with scent

Self-soothing techniques help you tolerate strong or overwhelming emotions, so you can manage them in a positive way, rather than reflexively reaching for a sugary treat. Inhaling a pleasant scent is a helpful reminder to enter the present and literally bring you to your senses when you’re in a cravings spiral. Try this exercise: Add 2 drops of eucalyptus oil to 1 cup of water in a bowl and stir. Soak a washcloth in the scented water. Squeeze out the excess water, then roll it up neatly and place it in a plastic bag in your fridge. The next time a craving hits, retrieve your scented washcloth and drape it gently over your face. Focus your full attention on the sensations—the texture of the cloth, its coolness, its scent—as you inhale the calm, and exhale the powerful emotions.

15. Savor life as much as sugar

Take a moment to think about your schedule. Does include an activity that really does it for you? That puts a curl in your toes, a little flutter of anticipation in your gut? We’re not talking downtime in front of the tube. We’re talking pleasure. The more you indulge in it in healthy ways, the less you’ll look for it in sugar. And the more pleasure, joy, and laughter you add to your life, the less you feel the need to derive pleasure from food. Savoring an experience—whether it’s a walk in the woods or a movie marathon with your best friend—means to enjoy it thoroughly, wringing every drop of pleasure from it. And while cookies may taste momentarily sweet, they can't provide true and lasting satisfaction.

VIA: DEBRA GOLDSTEIN

SOCIAL SUPPORT - THE SIMPLE SECRET TO WEIGHT LOSS SUCCESS

Lack of accountability is one of the biggest reasons people cannot lose the weight they want. It’s tough to keep a laser focus on something that could take several weeks to several years to accomplish. Social support can keep you honest to your weight-loss plan and keep you motivated along the way.

This secret is quite a gem because anyone can be an accountability partner. Look to friends, family, co-workers, superiors, mentors, personal trainers, teachers, kids or fellow SOTA 6 week challenge members – the possibilities are endless. All that matters is that person wants you to succeed as much as you want to.

You can even get creative in your search for accountability by turning to the latest technology. The Internet is doused with weight loss forums (check sotafitness.com) and hundreds can be found at your fingertips with a simple Google search. On these forums, you can post your food and exercise logs so like-minded people can comment and offer you their advice and encouragement.

If you are tech savvy, climb onto the social networking bandwagon to find a weight loss community. On the micro-blogging site, Instagram, you can update your social support network with short and frequent posts about your meals and workouts in real-time. Gather your network by “following” people who are interested in fitness or nutrition. Any slip-ups in either and you can bet your “followers” will be on your case. Even people you don’t know will add their two cents.

On Facebook, you can update your friends and SOTA 6 week metabolic challenge group members with longer posts about your weight-loss plan. You can also upload photos of your progress, post notes about your hang-ups and chat with your supporters. I’ve even been known to make comments about current or former client’s meals – so watch out!

Nobody can really pinpoint why social support is so valuable in the weight loss game, but including family and friends in your plan has proven highly effective. Your supporters do not necessarily have to be working towards the same weight-loss goals, but by surrounding yourself with people who can encourage you in healthy eating and exercise you will be well on the road to the leaner you.

On the flip side, try to avoid people who won’t support your healthy lifestyle. Hanging out with people who make fun of you for your whole grain snacks or who are stuffing fries down their throats while you nibble on carrot sticks will only slow your progress. Instead, engage in a positive environment with a positive support system that will encourage you to keep living healthily and stay driven toward your goals.

Get out there now and begin gathering your network of supporters, whether they be friends, family or the SOTAfitness community! Fill them in on your specific weight, nutrition and fitness goals and let them know if they should scold you for slacking. If you do, I guarantee your chances of succeeding will increase dramatically.

Via: Jason Yun

8 REASONS WHY YOU'RE NOT LOSING WEIGHT

When you lose weight, your body fights back. You may be able to lose quite a lot of weight at first, but weight loss tends to slow down or stop altogether after a while. So in this video I'm looking at 8 reasons why you're not losing weight and how to get things moving again.

11 HEALTHY HOLIDAY FOOD SWAPS

The problem with the holidays isn’t usually the weight gain — the average American gains only one or two pounds in between Thanksgiving and New Year’s — it’s the fact that most people never lose the excess pounds. So in five years you may have gained 10 pounds and in 10 years, 20 pounds. The best course of action? Stop weight gain before it starts.

The key is eating healthy throughout the holiday season and remembering portion control when it comes to your it-wouldn’t-be-Thanksgiving-or-Christmas-without-them foods. For the rest of the courses, all you have to do is make the right choices that will allow you to indulge and enjoy, yet keep you from loading up on the fatty, high-calories dishes that can quickly lead to unwanted weight gain.

1. Skip Full-Fat Dips, Eat Yogurt Dips

Start with those Thanksgiving appetizers. With so much of the meal yet to come, why waste calories on dips made with full-fat sour cream? Substitute low-fat or nonfat plain Greek yogurt or nonfat sour cream for regular sour cream in all of your recipes this season, and no one will be the wiser. To put it in perspective: An ounce of sour cream has about 60 calories. An ounce of nonfat plain Greek yogurt has only 15 to 20 calories, and an ounce of nonfat sour cream has about 25. The savings from even a few small scoops quickly add up.

2. Skip Some Alcohol Calories, Drink Wine Spritzer

The easiest way to cut unnecessary calories this season is to cut back on alcohol. For a portion-controlled alternative that will help you save calories, replace 2 ounces of wine with club soda. Since a 5-ounce glass of red or white wine has about 150 calories, and club soda has no calories, replacing just two ounces of the wine already saves you 60 calories toward another slice of pie. “You’re still able to be festive and enjoy an adult beverage with your friends and family — just with a lot fewer calories,” says Marisa Moore, RD, LD, an Atlanta dietitian and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

3. Skip Candied Yams, Eat Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Instead of serving candied yams, which have 215 calories per half-cup, try oven-roasted sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving and other meals. A 3/4-cup serving of sweet potatoes brushed with a little heart-healthy canola or olive oil is only 100 calories. Not only do you get more potatoes for fewer calories, but also you’ll also get a healthy helping of vitamins and nutrients from the potatoes, and a dose of monounsaturated fat from the oil. “I recommend roasting over boiling the sweet potatoes because it brings out their natural sweetness and you don’t have to add as much to [enhance] them,” Moore says.

4. Skip Dark Meat, Eat White Meat Turkey

The dark meat in your Thanksgiving turkey has about twice the fat of turkey breast and about 40 percent more calories. A 3.5-ounce portion of dark meat (about the size of a deck of cards) with the skin on has about 230 calories. The same amount of turkey breast without the skin is only about 160 calories, cutting about 70 calories as well as saturated fat— that’s eating healthy as long as you stick to portion control.

5. Skip Store-Bought, Eat Homemade Stuffing

What would the holidays be without stuffing? But it doesn’t have to be the unhealthy store-bought stuffing that’s prepared with butter and cubes of white bread. For a healthy holiday, make your own stuffing. Simply sauté celery and onions and other cubed vegetables of your choosing (from carrots to water chestnuts) in 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive or canola oil. Combine the mixture with cubes of whole-grain bread, moisten with no- or low-sodium chicken broth, and add your favorite herbs before baking. This eating-healthyversion has less fat, more fiber, and more flavor.

6. Skip Traditional Gravy, Eat Low-Fat Gravy

Turkey gravy is another recipe that can you can use to be healthy without losing taste, says Melissa Joy Dobbins, MS, RD, LDN, an instructor at Kendall College School of Culinary Arts in Chicago and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. You can make tasty Thanksgiving gravy with 1 cup of fat-free turkey broth, 2 tablespoons of flour, and seasonings to taste. If you still want to use the drippings from the roasting pan, remove the fat first (use a fat-separator cup or place the drippings in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes and then skim off the fat that rises to the top). In a hurry? Use a paper towel to soak up the fat. This will help with eating healthy, but you still should remember portion control because gravy calories can add up fast.

7. Skip Cranberry Sauce, Eat Cranberry Relish

That can of cranberry sauce you open at Thanksgiving is full of sugar, corn syrup, and other added sweeteners. Even exercising portion control may not help — just a fourth of a cup of the canned stuff can have more than 100 calories. Make your own cranberry relish and cut out some of the sugar for a healthy holiday side dish. “Most recipes call for more sugar than you need,” Moore says. “You can probably cut the sugar back by one-fourth to one-third.” Or save even more calories by using sugar substitutes such as Splenda or stevia. A third of a cup of cranberry sauce made with sugar substitute has only about 25 calories.

8. Skip the Casserole, Eat Fresh Green Beans

To make your green bean casserole a healthy holiday choice, instead of using full-fat cream of mushroom soup, use a reduced-fat version of the soup and you’ll save at least 40 calories per half-cup serving. Better yet, skip the soup and French-fried onions — just cut and steam fresh green beans and sprinkle them with slivered almonds before serving. “Eat your veggies first because they're lower in calories,” Moore advises. “They will help fill you up, and you’ll want to eat less of the higher-calorie foods.”

9. Skip White Flour Rolls, Eat Whole-Wheat Rolls

At 100 to 200 calories each, dinner rolls are an easy item to skip if you’re aiming for a healthy holiday, especially if you’re eating carbohydrate-packed stuffing. If you’re doing the cooking and still want bread with your meal, consider replacing the white flour in your favorite recipe for whole wheat. If you make cornbread or another recipe that calls for whole milk, replace the full-fat milk with low-fat buttermilk or thinned plain yogurt. Experiment with less sugar and oil than the recipe calls for — chances are, you won’t miss it. A word to the wise: Test your healthy-eating recipes before company comes, Dobbins says. You don’t want surprises at the Thanksgiving table.

10. Skip Eggnog, Drink Cider

A glass of eggnog can easily have upwards of 250 calories, and more than half of your daily recommended dose of saturated fat. Swap eggnog for a glass of hot apple cider instead, and instantly save 100 to 150 calories and all the fat. If it’s just not a holiday without eggnog, make your own with egg substitute rather than eggs, fat-free milk in place of whole milk, and sugar substitute in place of sugar — you can still use vanilla and spices. Leave out the alcohol and you’ll save even more calories.

If you still want the real thing, Moore says, practice portion control: Have just one serving, and then switch to something more diet friendly. One of her favorite tricks for a healthy holiday is to alternate between high-calorie beverages and club soda or a glass of water. “If you limit yourself to every other drink," she says, "you will cut your calories in half no matter what the calories start off being.”

11. Skip Pecan Pie, Eat Pumpkin Pie

It’s hard to resist holiday desserts from Thanksgiving to New Year’s, but you can save about 200 calories by choosing pumpkin pie (300 calories a slice) over pecan pie (about 500 calories). Neither is exactly eating healthy, but with the pumpkin you’re getting lots of vitamin A, calcium, and iron. If you really want pecans, Moore suggests skipping the pie and eating a handful of pecans sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. In either case, another option is to skip the crust entirely — that’s where most of the fat lurks — and save another 100 or so calories.

Via: Beth Orenstein

5 COMMON MYTHS ABOUT STRENGTH TRAINING FOR DISTANCE RUNNERS

Despite the advancements in our understanding of the role strength training plays in our development as long distance runners, there are still some pervasive myths in the running community about the best way to approach improving running-specific strength.

Like most long-standing myths, the misunderstandings about strength training come from outdated information that has been passed down throughout the years.

Unfortunately, in today’s world where anyone can become a running coach by attending a weekend seminar, and message boards in forums contribute to the spread of misinformation; many runners simply repeat the information they’ve “learned” without regard for recent findings, research and developments in the sport.

Luckily, in this article we're going to dispel some of these myths and hopefully start reshaping how all runners view and incorporate strength training into their running schedules.

Myth #1: You need to maintain short rest between sets

When most runners hit the gym, they feel like they need to replicate the feeling and the work they do on the roads. Typically, that means keeping the heart rate elevated. For some, it can feel foreign to consider a workout effective if you're not breathing hard.

That means most runners try to take as little rest as possible between sets. It’s not uncommon to find runners resting only 30-60 seconds between exercises.

Unfortunately, these brief rest periods are detrimental to strength development because of the primary energy system used and the rate of recovery.

Unlike in running, which relies on the aerobic system for energy, the major source of energy when trying to build strength is what we call adenosine triphosphate phospho-creatine (ATP-PC).

ATP-PC is responsible for providing the energy to produce short, powerful movements – like we need for strength training. As you can see for this chart below, ATP-PC requires at least two to three minutes to approach full recovery.

While it will feel completely foreign to you as a distance runner, it’s important that you take the necessary recovery time between each set to fully replenish your ATP system.

By not fully recovering between sets when strength training, you’re not able to maximize the recruitment of your muscle fibers and the quality and effectiveness of your session plummets.

If your goal is to build strength, you need to be taking at least a 2 minute recovery between each set.

Myth #2: Training with high reps builds endurance

It’s often claimed (since distance running is endurance oriented) that the use of high reps with low weight is the best way to build endurance to running-specific muscles.

The thought process is that high repetitions, just like higher mileage, will improve muscular endurance. That’s why you often see runners lifting the 5-10lb dumbbells for shoulder raises or even in the running-man motion (don’t worry if this is you, you're not the first one to do it).

Unfortunately, high reps and low weights don’t build muscular endurance

• First, recent research has shown that performing repetitions in the 12-20 range does not increase muscular endurance any more than the 6-8 repetition range.

• Second, you’re already working on your muscular endurance when out on the road and when doing track workouts. The purpose of strength work is to build strength so performing routines and rep ranges that target this goal is ideal.

Therefore, rather than using light weight and high repetition, you should lift the maximum weight you can safely handle for 6-10 repetitions.

The 6-10 rep range allows for maximum muscle overload and will recruit the greatest number of muscle fibers, thus leading to increased strength.

The next time you head to the gym for your strength training session, consider reducing your repetitions and adding more weight to your exercise. You’ll maximize your strength gains much faster this way.

Myth #3: Heavy weights will bulk you up and light weights will make you look “tone”

When first suggesting to runners that they will be better served by lifting heavy weights, their initial reaction is, “I want to look like Mo Farah, not Arnold Schwarzenegger”. But, this fear comes from a misunderstanding of how “bulking up” actually occurs.

Muscle bulk is not determined by lifting heavy weights alone. In fact, lifting heavy weights is the least important part of the equation.

Nutrition, specifically excess calories, is what contributes to bulking up when lifting heavy weights. (As a side note, it’s same for using running as a means to lose weight. The mileage itself is not the most important factor, but rather the negative calorie balance.)

Moreover, because the amount of time you will spend running will vastly outnumber the amount of time you spend lifting heavy weights, it will be virtually impossible for you to gain unwanted or detrimental mass (unless of course you’re seriously overeating, which is not a training problem).

Don’t be afraid of looking like a body builder if you’re including heavy lifting in your running routine. It just won’t happen.

Likewise, lifting lighter weights with more repetitions won’t make your muscles look more “tone”.  The common belief is that high reps magically get rid of fat.

While high reps with light weight to fatigue can create a muscular response, it does not necessarily remove fat better than low reps with heavy weight. The mythical “tone” is a result of not losing muscle mass in conjunction with losing weight.

As an example, one study from the University of Alabama in Birmingham showed that dieters who lifted heavy weights lost the same amount of weight as dieters who did just cardio, but all the weight lost by the weight lifters was fat while the cardio subjects lost a lot of muscle along with some fat.

Myth #4: You should perform strength training on your rest or recovery days

Runner’s typically think of strength training as an add-on to their running training, rather than an integrated piece of the training puzzle. When you do your strength workouts is just as important as what strength workouts you perform.

The mistake many runners make is performing their strength workouts on their easy, recovery or off days.

The thinking behind this idea makes sense – you’re the most tired after hard workouts, so why push yourself even more by adding strength work on these days?

But, we’re forgetting about the recovery aspect and the training plan as a whole.

If you were to perform harder strength workouts, especially anything that involves the lower body, on your easy running day the added stress and shortened total recovery time between workouts would detract from your body’s recovery ability.

Moreover, if you perform your harder strength training the day before your workouts, you’ll likely be too tired or sore to perform optimally in the most important session – the run the next day.

This is why your hardest strength training days should be on your running workout days.

But, since there are more than one type and intensity of strength routines, here’s how your week should look:

• Your hardest, most running-specific strength routines after your hardest workouts
• Your medium effort routines (like basic core or hip routines) on your regular running days
• Any preventive routines on your off or recovery days

Myth #5: Machines are a good substitute for bodyweight, free weights, and therabands

The next time you’re in your gym, take a look around and count the number of strength training machines you see. I’m willing to bet it’s an extraordinarily high number.

Because the machines are so pervasive, it’s easy to think that they are just as good, if not better, than free weight and bodyweight exercises. However, in most cases they are far less effective – and in some cases useless.

The problem with machines is that they have a limited range of motion, isolate the wrong muscle groups, and don’t trigger the same “supporting” muscle groups response that make some exercises most useful.

As an example, we know that hip strength, or lack thereof, is one of the main contributors to running injuries.  The prescription is obviously to strengthen the muscles in the hip, which include the abductors. Seemingly, the abductor machine at the gym make this very easy to do. Just sit down, push out and you’re on your way to injury-free running.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the case.

Research has shown that to improve running-specific hip strength, an exercise should maximize the recruitment of the gluteus medius and gluteus maximus, while minimizing the recruitment of the TFL (tensor fasciae latae – a muscle located on the upper lateral portion of your thigh).

The abductor machine actually targets the TFL and therefore has limited effectiveness. Furthermore, a tense TFL, because it connects directly to the knee’s lateral side via the iliotibial band, may increase knee strain that could develop into IT band syndrome.

In this case the adductor machine is not only useless, it could be harmful.

By sticking to the right bodyweight, free weight and theraband exercises you can maximize the time you spend in the gym and avoid many of the common pitfalls.

Now…go crush your personal bests with these myth busters in mind

Consider how these 5 common myths play into your current perception and approach to strength training.

Via Coach Jeff

9 MEAL PREPPING TIPS FOR LONG TERM SUCCESS

It's easy to quote the famous motto: “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” Let's be honest. How many times have you finished work and thought, “I’m too tired to cook and there’s nothing in the fridge. I just I’ll hit the drive-thru”? By planning and prepping, you can help prevent that from happening. And, once you get the hang of it, you’ll be amazed how much time and money you might save. You might even start to see faster results because you’re not getting fries with that. Ya dig? Here are 9 things you can do while prepping that will help you get the most out of this crucial fitness lifestyle staple. 

1. Make a Plan

Make a list of your favorite healthy foods, choose simple recipes that can be made quickly or in bulk, and decide what you’ll eat for every snack and meal. This step will get easier and faster with practice.
Pro Tip: Save your plan for a future week. Once you have a few meal prep menus in your arsenal, you can rotate them to keep things interesting.

2. Stick to Your Grocery List

Don’t let junk food sneak into your shopping cart. Get that ish outta here. Not having it in the house means you won't have to use God-llike willpower to avoid it. Want to make an impulse purchase? If you can find a way to fit it into your eating plan for the week, go for it. Remember, nothing is off limits if you can maintain control around it. Just keep these to a minimum so nothing goes to waste. By sticking to your list and by minimizing the impulse buys, you’ll help yourself save money.

3. Keep Snacks Simple

When you’re cooking everything for the week at once, it’s important to keep things simple. Save time by choosing snacks that don’t require a lot of time to put together. Fresh fruit, hard-boiled eggs, and pre-cut veggies with prepared hummus are great choices.

4. Cook Foods All At Once

Roasting vegetables, sweet potatoes, and even chicken breasts all at once will save you time, and cut down on your utility bill. Imagine…all of your side dishes for the week…ready in about 30 minutes! You just have to put in that front end work people- the time investment ALWAYS pays off. 

5. Look for Shortcuts

I get it, sometimes you have more time than money. That's cool- you can buy pre-cut veggies and fruits, cooked lentils, or rotisserie chicken. Less time prepping, but it will cost you a few bucks more if you're down with that. Tuna is an an easy no-cook protein to add to salads or snacks. Already have your oven on to roast veggies? Preheat your oven to 325°, then put your eggs in a muffin tin and bake them for 30 minutes. Then carefully remove them and plunge the eggs into a bowl of ice water until cool. MAGIC, PEOPLE.

6. Get on the Mason Jar Salad Bandwagon

Mason jar salads are more than just pretty pictures on Pinterest and Instagram. They are practical. They cost about a dollar a piece, are microwave safe (just, for the love of god remember to remove the lid), and can be used for so many different types of meals. Their vertical shape makes them especially nice for storing salads. Since the dressing is at the bottom of the jar, and the greens are at the top, nothing gets soggy!

7. Mix Things Up

It can be tempting to just eat the same meals every day, but you’ll eventually get bored. We recommend at least two lunch options and two dinner options. This can be as simple as choosing different proteins for your salads each day, or eating chicken with vegetables three nights of the week, and fish or tofu with vegetables the other two. Once you get the hang of it you can get more creative with your recipes.

8. Invest in Food Storage Containers

Trust us, you will need them. A small investment in food containers of various sizes to suit your needs will make a world of difference. It’s a good idea to choose one container type and buy several that stack and store neatly. If you choose plastic containers, make sure they are BPA-free and that they won’t melt in the microwave or dishwasher. Sturdy Pyrex dishes with lids are also great as are Mason jars. If you decide to go all-in on the meal prep lifestyle, you might want to think about getting an insulated bag to carry your meals everywhere you go.

9. Keep Your Eyes on the Prize

All of this meal prep is for a purpose…to help you reach your goals. When clean eating is as simple as reaching into the fridge for your lunch or dinner, you’ll be less tempted to stop for fast food or order takeout. Whether you do your meal prep for the week all ahead of time or just a few days at a time, doing so will help you stick to your meal plan and give you even more time to sweat it out with us for a HIIT class at SOTA. Questions on how to make this all a success? Hit us up!

5 SIMPLE TIPS TO BREAK THROUGH A WEIGHT LOSS PLATEAU

Via: Authority Nutrition

3 REASONS STRENGTH TRAINING BOOSTS YOUR RUN

1. Muscle Burns More Calories: "Fat burns almost nothing at rest," says exercise physiologist Pete McCall, "whereas muscle uses oxygen. If you increase lean muscle mass, you'll increase the body's ability to use oxygen and burn more calories." Your body typically uses about 4.5-7 calories per pound of muscle every day. If a 160-pound runner with 20 percent body fat increases his muscle mass and lowers his body fat to 15 percent, he'll burn an extra 36 to 56 calories a day at rest—simply by adding muscle.

2. You'll Be More Efficient: Strength training can help you run faster, longer, and more efficiently. A study published last year in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Researchshowed that runners who add three days of resistance training exercises to their weekly program increase their leg strength and enhance their endurance. Obviously, runners with better endurance can run longer—and burn more calories. You'll also be able to recover faster from those long runs because strength training makes your body more efficient at converting metabolic waste into energy. "It's like being able to convert car exhaust into gas," says McCall.

3. You'll Be Less Injury-Prone: "If you increase your strength, you'll also increase your joint stability, reducing your risk of repetitive stress injuries," says McCall, citing a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, which showed that incorporating moves such as squats, single-leg hops, and ab work into a workout can not only prevent lower-body injuries, but improve performance as well. Leg exercises are particularly important when it comes to reducing injury: These exercises strengthen muscles around the knees and hips — two areas that often cause problems for runners.

Via: Leslie Goldman

ALL ABOUT CARB CYCLING

What is carb cycling?

In the most basic format, carb cycling is a planned alteration of carbohydrate intake in order to prevent a fat loss plateau and maintain metabolism along with workout performance.

Carb cycling is designed for short-term use. It is not a long-term solution for body fat management. In fact, if used for too long it may be unfavourable.

Why would carb cycling be important?

Short term vs long term restriction

It’s important to distinguish between the immediate (short term) and chronic (long term) effects of carbohydrate and calorie restriction.

Although the body handles short-term deprivation relatively well, a strict nutritional regimen of low calories or low carbohydrates can be hard on the body over the long haul.

Missing a meal here or there, or dropping carbohydrates very low, isn’t disastrous when it’s occasional and brief.

Some evidence even suggests that brief and relatively infrequent periods of fasting and/or carbohydrate restriction may actually be advantageous for both health and body composition.

For example, a recent study in the American Journal of Cardiology (Horne et al 2008) noted that occasional and short bouts of fasting (e.g. 24 hours) improved markers of cardiovascular disease.

However, restricting calories and/or carbohydrates for longer periods (as in the case of physique athletes, who may diet for months before a competition) can have negative metabolic effects.

Because endocrine systems are interconnected (for instance, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal [HPA] axis, which is the body’s Mission Control for hormones), these effects can be wide-reaching.

For example, as a result of long-term restriction, dieters may experience reduced metabolic rate, thyroid hormone output, sympathetic nervous system activity, spontaneous physical activity, leptin levels, and reproductive hormone output (Douyon 2002; Friedl 2000; de Rosa 1983; Klein 2000; Ahima 2000; Weyer 2001; Mansell 1988; Kozusko 2001; Dulloo 1998).

Not only can this have consequences for overall health, it can bring body composition gains to a standstill.

So, if you can’t just “out-diet” your body’s control center, what are you to do? This is where carb cycling comes in.

Planned manipulation and variation

If eaters plan a higher carbohydrate intake at regular intervals, their bodies won’t ever get too close to starvation mode.

However, they can still lose fat if they still take in fewer total calories than they expend — i.e., if the overall long term trend is towards negative energy balance.

Higher carbohydrate intake days can increase thyroid output and control hunger (Douyon 2002; Friedl 2000; de Rosa 1983).

Manipulating carbohydrate intake can also help one take advantage of certain anabolic hormones, namely insulin.

Insulin regulates amino acid and glucose intake entry into the muscle cells. If insulin is seldom elevated, dieters will not reap its anabolic benefits.

Conversely, if people plan to elevate insulin levels at the appropriate time with a scheduled higher carbohydrate intake, they can maximize insulin’s potential anabolic effects.

What you should know

There are different methods of carb cycling. However, the common theme behind them is that protein and fat intake stay relatively constant while carbohydrate intake is manipulated.

Carb cycling also typically involves calorie cycling. Since carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram, adjusting carbohydrate intake while keeping fat and protein more or less the same can greatly alter calorie intake.

Days where carbohydrates (and usually calories) are increased are often known as “re-feed” days.

Dr. Berardi gives a nice definition of re-feed as a planned increase in calorie intake that lasts 8 – 12 hours and usually consists of a large increase in carbohydrates.

Re-feeds usually occur when dieting and are scheduled in order to provide a brief day of psychological relief as well as a number of physiological benefits.

Since carbohydrate intake will be increased on the re-feed days, it is important to scale back the fat and protein intake slightly. Carbohydrates have a protein sparing effect so less dietary protein is required. This will allow for one’s calorie count to remain in check.

The same principles of good nutrition apply equally to “everyday” eating and carb cycling phases, including proper meal frequency, omega-3 fat intake, adequate protein and fiber intake, plenty of vegetables, etc.

Here are some common carb cycling approaches.

Infrequent, big re-feeds

Higher carbohydrate intake every 1-2 weeks during a lower carbohydrate intake phase.

Frequent, moderate re-feeds

Higher carbohydrate intake every 3-4 days during a lower carbohydrate intake phase.

Strategic carb cycling

This consists of structuring different menus with moderate carbohydrate intake at strategic intervals during a lower carb intake phase. This approach steers away from an extremely high carbohydrate intake because the menu changes regularly. But it does allow for metabolism to play catch-up with dietary intake.

Carb cycling for muscle gain

Those interested in gaining muscle mass need a calorie surplus. Unfortunately, if they grossly over-consume calories for too long they’ll probably gain bodyfat. Thus, one way to optimize muscle gain over fat gain during a muscle gaining phase is with carb cycling.

This is similar to the “strategic carb cycling” approach. Menus are planned according to your weekly schedule in order to create a temporary calorie surplus. This can assist with lean mass and strength gains.

Important tips for each carb cycling approach

• Base the dietary approach on basal calorie needs and activity levels.
• Always pick out the re-feed days in advance.
• Stay on course until the re-feed day arrives.
• Keep your decisions outcome-based. Different re-feed strategies work better for certain body types. Look at the evidence from your photographs and body composition tests to ensure that you are on the right track.
• Try to exercise on the re-feed days for optimal body composition results.
• On the re-feed days, the body still tolerates carbohydrates best first thing in the morning and around times when physical activity is high.

For extra credit

Carb cycling may help control leptin and ghrelin levels. These are appetite and fat homeostatic hormones — in other words, they are sensitive to body composition and food intake; their job is to try to make sure we eat enough and have enough body fat.

Carb cycling can maximize glycogen stores and improve workouts during a low calorie period.

With a lower carbohydrate intake, fiber intake will also be lower. Make sure to consume high-fiber foods and supplements and drink plenty of water to prevent constipation.

Metabolic “up-regulation” doesn’t always scale directly with intake and too much re-feeding can result in body fat gains (Dulloo, Samec 2001). So don’t use carb cycling as an excuse to pig out.

Summary and recommendations

• Use carb cycling only if you are nutritionally advanced and have exhausted basic methods.
• Use only for a short duration.
• Pick a carb cycling strategy depending on how you feel with lower carb intake days, how much muscle mass you carry, your physique goals and length of time you anticipate on the carb cycle.
• After a carb cycling strategy has been selected, you need to establish your calorie intake goal.
• Second, establish a protein intake goal (which remains relatively constant).
• Third, establish a fat intake goal (again, relatively constant).
• Finally, pick a carbohydrate intake goal for the different days. Then divide your total intake of all the nutrients up into regular feeding intervals with appropriate spacing due to workouts.
• Schedule the re-feeding times. You are ready to go!

Via: Ryan Andrews 

3 FOOD PREP STRATEGIES FOR HEALTHY FOOD WHEN YOU NEED IT

If healthy food is around you and convenient, you’re more likely to eat it. If you have a trusted system for making healthy food available, you don’t have to decide to eat well… you just show up and do it.

Enter the “food ritual”.

No, this ritual doesn’t include lamb’s blood or any special Kool Aid.

It just means you set aside a bit of time to prepare some healthy food in advance so that it’s ready, available, and convenient when you need it

How you choose to ritualize healthy meal prep is up to you. Here are some strategies:

Option 1: The Sunday Ritual

You don’t have to do this on Sunday, of course. You can choose any day you like.

It’s just that Sunday is often a time when people are more free, more relaxed, and more able to devote time to this type of task. And it’s a time when we’re usually thinking ahead to the upcoming week.

Whatever day you choose, set aside 2-3 hours once a week to do the following.

• Look ahead to your upcoming schedule and see what’s happening. What nutrition challenges or opportunities might pop up? Where might you need some special preparation in advance? What are the quiet and busy times? Etc.

• Come up with a general menu for at least the next few days. It doesn’t have to be anything in-depth. Just get a basic sense of the food you might need to have on hand for the week ahead.

• Build your shopping list from your menu. This will help you be as effective and efficient as possible when you hit the grocery store, and you’ll be less tempted to buy random (and non-goal-supporting) things.

• Hit the grocery store. Stock up on what you need for the week. Consider grabbing a few extra “just in case” emergency items as well, such as canned beans, frozen vegetables, or other easily-stored healthy options that you can use in a pinch.

• Once you’re back home, start prepping and cooking. Whip up a batch of lean protein — for example, by grilling or roasting several chicken breasts/thighs at once. Try some one-pot meals that can be easily cooked in a slow cooker, then divided into containers to be frozen or refrigerated, such as soups, stews, curries, chili, etc. Wash and chop veggies.

Why slice tomatoes for one meal when you can slice them for three?

It takes just as much time to bake one chicken breast…

…as it does to bake several.

Some people prefer to figure out which meals will be easy to cook “in the moment” and save them for later, and only pre-prep meals for super busy times (such as lunches at work or dinner after a late meeting).

Do what works best for you, and your schedule.

If possible, give yourself a little extra buffer zone. You never know what unexpected challenge might strike at 6pm on Wednesday, and when it does, you’ll be glad you socked away an extra meal in the freezer.

Pack up ingredients and meals for easy storage in your freezer, fridge, or workspace.

Option 2: The Daily Ritual

You can combine the Sunday Ritual with the Daily Ritual — for example, by preparing the labor-intensive staples such as lean protein on Sunday, and then adding some quick-prep items (such as fruit and veggies) every day.

It often takes about as much time to prepare a few items as it does to prepare one.

For example, it’s nearly as fast to chop 3 carrots as it is to chop 1, or to scramble 6 eggs instead of 2. During the Daily Ritual, you can prep a few extra items to have on hand for later in the day, or the following day.

Try a Morning Ritual where you use some of our time-saving strategies to whip up a healthy breakfast or lunch:

• Oatmeal: Shake up your dry oatmeal and any other items (e.g. ground flaxseeds, cinnamon, protein powder, other grains, etc.) in a large container. In the morning, scoop out the dry mix, pour in some water, and pop it in the microwave. Top with fruit, add more protein if you like (e.g. cottage cheese, Greek yogurt) and enjoy a hearty breakfast.

Pre-mixed oatmeal comes together faster in the morning.

• Egg “batter”: Whiz up some eggs in a blender (with some veggies if you like); keep the mixture in a jar in the fridge for up to a few days. Pour and cook as needed.
   
• No-sog salad: Take a large jar and pour salad dressing into the bottom. Then add veggies, top with greens, and make sure the jar stays refrigerated and upright throughout the day. When you’re ready to eat it, shake it up and pour it into a bowl (or heck, eat it right out of the jar!).

Dressing at the bottom: the trick to a still-crisp pre-prepped lunch salad.

Or try a Dinner Ritual where you simply make extra portions and save the rest for tomorrow.

Again, it doesn’t take much more time to prepare a few extra things, so cook in bulk where possible.

Option 3: Healthy meals made for you

Many grocery stores — from your average Safeway or Loblaws to more upscale Whole Foods-type places — now offer a wide range of grab-and-go meals. Think salad bars, pre-washed and cut vegetables, and individually-portioned lean protein. There are also many specialty food store chains that offer healthy food takeout and delivery.

When life is extra busy, make a healthy salad bar one of your food rituals.

The bottom line: Do what works best for you — your life and your goals.

You can mix and match all of these food ritual options, in any way that works for you. Anticipate, plan, strategize. 

Via: John Berardi, Ph.D.

EXERCISE, DIET, AND MEDITATION: THE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO HEALTH AND FITNESS

The holistic approach to health is multidimensional. It assumes that there is a complex connection between mind, body, and spirit. Advocates of “whole” health are concerned with enhancement of personal health and the prevention of illness before it can take hold.  Yet when healing is needed, there are a wide range of therapies to consider, such as a combination of conventional and non-conventional medical treatments, or an altogether different healing tradition.  

Each person has the potential of balance. The stress in our lives, years of poor nutrition, the lack of quiet time takes a toll on our well being. This balance is obtained by understanding your own personal “Energy”. Your energy is made up of your body, mind, and essential energy or spirit. The three work together in harmony to bring happiness, peace, and ultimately, balance. However, if one of these three is out of sync, the entire person suffers. Holistic fitness is a journey to find your balance.

From the perspective of holistic health, fitness requires regular physical exercise, healthy, peaceful eating, good mental health, positive social-emotional experiences, and attention to our spiritual needs. When we are “fit”, our body, mind, and spirit are in tune with one another.

Because it seems so simple, so straightforward, we have a tendency to overlook the amazing power of physical exercise in the overall formula for health and holistic fitness.  A large body of research shows that physical activity has a profound influence on our health. There are many positive correlations between our level of activity and the health of our body and our mind. Physical activity is proven to increase bone density and decrease of the symptoms of arthritis, to lower risk of developing diabetes and several forms of cancer. It enhances cardio respiratory health and helps keep at bay depression and the onset of cognitive decline associated with aging.

It is imperative to include physical exercise in our quest for holistic fitness. We need to work on our physical fitness as part of our everyday program of health maintenance. Always begin with a low level of exercise and increase over time as your strength and endurance allows. Flowing, stretching and meditative styles of exercise such as Yoga and Tai Chiare most beneficial to our overall sense of wellness and long term health. But regular cardio such as bicycling, brisk walking,swimming or hiking is needed for cardio vascular, energy and bone health.

To maintain good health and to support the efficient functioning of your body systems, you need to make conscious food choices. Healthy “whole” foods will help keep your weight within acceptable limits and enhance the positive effects of exercise. Healthy nutrition is an essential component of holistic fitness. “Whole” foods restore your body’s natural functions, healthy foods give you the clean fuel you need to live your potential.

 Last, you must set aside some quiet, meditative time.

Start with 15 minutes each day. Lay on the floor on a mat or quilt in a comfortable position, your arms along your body, palms up, your mouth soft and breathe consciously in and out of your abdomen. Close your eyes, focus your mind on a peaceful image. Empty your mind and let your breath reach out into every inch of your body . This peaceful time is the glue that holds it all together.   

Holistic fitness is a synergetic path to wellness that considers equally the essential components to make up a whole person , a healthy person that  is physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually well.

Via Ian Wallace

FAT LOSS WARS: CARDIO VERSUS WEIGHT TRAINING

When it comes to losing weight, which is more effective: cardio or weight training? Here's how each stacks up.

Many people think that if you want to lose fat, you should do more cardio, and that if you want to build muscle, you should lift weights. But it's not that simple. You can use weight training to lose fat, and in some ways it's actually better than cardio.

Falling for the common misconception that you need to do cardio to lose weight is one of the biggest mistakes you could make and could hinder your progress.

WEIGHT TRAINING INCREASES SHORT-TERM CALORIE BURN

The first reason we are going to give weight training a point in the fat-loss war against cardio is due to the calorie burn after the workout is completed.

Studies have demonstrated that after a weight-training workout, metabolism can be boosted for up to 38 hours post-workout.[1] This means that rather than burning, say, 60 calories an hour while sitting and watching TV, you're burning 70. While you may not think that 10 extra calories is a big deal, when you multiply this by 38 hours, you can see what a huge difference it can make in your daily calorie expenditure.

When you figure that out on a monthly rate, it becomes even clearer how regular participation in weight training will really increase your capacity to burn calories, and thus fat.

With cardio training, you might get an extra 40-80 calories burned after a moderately paced session, but this will depend upon the exact intensity and duration of the workout. In order to generate a high amount of post-calorie burn from aerobics, you'd have to be doing it for a very long duration of time.

WEIGHT TRAINING INCREASES LONG-TERM CALORIE BURN

The second factor to consider in the fat-loss war is long-term metabolic increases. While it's great to be burning more calories for 38 hours after the workout, that's not going to help you two weeks from now, unless you are consistent with your workout program (which you should be, but that's not the point we're trying to make here).

What weight training will enable you to do is build up a larger degree of lean muscle mass, which then basically serves as a calorie-burning powerhouse in the body.

When you calculate your basal metabolic rate, which is how many calories you would burn if you stayed in bed all day and did absolutely nothing except breathe, one of the factors that goes into this is your total body weight. The most accurate equations will also take into account lean body mass, which represents your muscles, bones, and organs.

The more muscle you have on your body, the higher this rate will be and the better the calorie-burning results you will obtain 24/7.[2]

Since muscle tissue is fairly stable (as long as there is some stimulus on the muscle and you are consuming enough protein, it won't be lost), this proves to be an effective long-term strategy for losing body fat.

WEIGHT TRAINING AND TOTAL BODY RESHAPING

Another big benefit that weight training has over cardio training is that it will allow you to completely reshape your body. Cardio training will generally help you lose weight, however, this weight loss is typically a combination of fat and muscle, so what you're left with is a smaller version of your current self.

When you are performing resistance training, while following a calorie-restricted diet, then you stand a better chance of losing strictly body fat, while helping to enhance the natural curves of your body.[3] This will give you a much better overall transformation than if you just lost weight doing cardio. 

What lifting heavy weights will do—for men and women—is raise the metabolic rate, promote greater fat burning, and help give more definition when the body fat comes off.

CARDIO AND CALORIE BURN

One issue you're more than likely thinking about is the different calorie burns during the actual workout—that's got to count for something, right?

Correct! If you do a longer cardio session, you could burn somewhere in the neighborhood of 500-800 calories, depending on the exact length and intensity level. That is a fairly decent number and will definitely help with your fat-loss goals.

Since you must burn off 3,500 calories in order to lose one pound of body fat, if you do enough of these cardio sessions, and make sure you're keeping track of your macronutrient intake, weight loss will take place.

But, keep in mind that you are going to have to keep doing those long cardio sessions. Time will likely become a big factor with this one, and boredom could start to play a role over time, too.

While a weight-training session may not burn as many calories per minute during the actual workout (although that can depend on how intense the weight lifting is), the overall calorie-burning benefits you receive from it typically outweigh those of cardio.

CARDIO AND HEALTH BENEFITS

One point does have to go to cardio for health benefits. Obviously strength training has health benefits as well, but cardio training has a bigger influence on cardiovascular health, since your heart and lungs work harder for longer when you do it.[4]

So, while you likely shouldn't entirely eliminate cardio from your fat-loss training program, you should be putting forth good effort toward weight training as well. Overlooking this form of exercise while playing the fat-loss game is a big mistake that's going to hurt your progress.

CONCLUSION

It's time to break free from the thinking that cardio equates to fat loss and weight training equates to building muscle and weight gain. It's simply not as clear cut as that. While doing cardio can help your fat-loss goals, in a lot of ways weight training is more effective and will also give you a more toned body shape.

While lifting weights can help you build muscle mass, that muscle mass will in turn help you lose fat mass. And if you just want to lose fat and don't want to get hugely muscular, don't worry, that takes a lot of concentrated effort and won't happen just by showing up to the weight room a few times a week.

If losing fat is your goal, lifting weights can only help you, so make it a priority.

REFERENCES

1. Schuenke, M. D., Mikat, R. P., & McBride, J. M. (2002). Effect of an acute period of resistance exercise on excess post-exercise oxygen consumption: implications for body mass management. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 86(5), 411-417.
2. Stiegler, P., & Cunliffe, A. (2006). The role of diet and exercise for the maintenance of fat-free mass and resting metabolic rate during weight loss. Sports Medicine, 36(3), 239-262.
3. Bryner, R. W., Ullrich, I. H., Sauers, J., Donley, D., Hornsby, G., Kolar, M., & Yeater, R. (1999). Effects of resistance vs. aerobic training combined with an 800 calorie liquid diet on lean body mass and resting metabolic rate. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 18(2), 115-121.
4. Fletcher, G. F., Blair, S. N., Blumenthal, J., Caspersen, C., Chaitman, B., Epstein, S., ... & Piña, I. L. (1992). Statement on exercise: benefits and recommendations for physical activity programs for all Americans-a statement for health professionals by the Committee on Exercise and Cardiac Rehabilitation of the Council on Clinical Cardiology, American Heart Association. Circulation, 86(1), 340.

Via Shannon Clark